With these VOTC figures hitting, it just got me to thinking about this again. Although some of them might have some flaws, this figure line overall seems to represent the best of what Hasbro is capable of. After the final movie rush is said and done, and since we don't know whether or not the television series will happen or not, what would you like to see happen post Episode III? Would you be happy with a line along the lines of the VOTC, with figures that are done very, very well...with a lot of time put into the sculpt, articulation, etc....even if the line was limited to say 20 figures or so a year? Many toy lines seem to have a much smaller release schedule (20-25 figures per year as opposed to 50+ that we normally get from Star Wars), and for some it is must easier to keep up (especially when collecting other lines).

Sometimes I'm not sure what i want, because while I feel "the more figures/ships, the better", I do sometimes feel a little overwhelmed (finances wise) when there is a lot to buy. I know there are a lot of background characters left to be done (and hopefully finishing out the vintage line)...so maybe the more limited line isn't the best answer in those situations. Anyways, would you be happy with a line that continued...but in a little more limited fashion...maybe 20-25 collector-oriented, VOTC-style figures per year, even if at a little higher pricepoint (although $7 would be easier to stomach than $10 or $11). Any other thoughts on what you'd like to (realistically) see the line do after the movie?

With these VOTC figures hitting, it just got me to thinking about this again. Although some of them might have some flaws, this figure line overall seems to represent the best of what Hasbro is capable of. After the final movie rush is said and done, and since we don't know whether or not the television series will happen or not, what would you like to see happen post Episode III? Would you be happy with a line along the lines of the VOTC, with figures that are done very, very well...with a lot of time put into the sculpt, articulation, etc....even if the line was limited to say 20 figures or so a year? Many toy lines seem to have a much smaller release schedule (20-25 figures per year as opposed to 50+ that we normally get from Star Wars), and for some it is must easier to keep up (especially when collecting other lines).

Sometimes I'm not sure what i want, because while I feel "the more figures/ships, the better", I do sometimes feel a little overwhelmed (finances wise) when there is a lot to buy. I know there are a lot of background characters left to be done (and hopefully finishing out the vintage line)...so maybe the more limited line isn't the best answer in those situations. Anyways, would you be happy with a line that continued...but in a little more limited fashion...maybe 20-25 collector-oriented, VOTC-style figures per year, even if at a little higher pricepoint (although $7 would be easier to stomach than $10 or $11). Any other thoughts on what you'd like to (realistically) see the line do after the movie?

This would work for me, but maybe not 20 per year. Maybe 10-12 a year. I think it would be nice from a packaging standpoint to release one of every figure (the best sculpts of course) in either the OTC or VOTC packaging. With the amount of different figs available, the line could easily continue for another 10 years. Yet at the same time it hurts me to say I hope the line dies within 2 years of episode 3. Lets just hope that they can make everyone happy by releasing some more background figs and finish off the vintage line in the end.

I was looking up a figure on some of the POTF2 photo archives online, and noticed (at RS) that they had their figures divided into the release year as well. I wasn't a real active collector at the beginning of POTF2, but it looked like there was anywhere from 25-35ish figures released per year. It seems like we now get around the upper 40s to 50s in figure releases now (although this year it has been many recarded figures). Anyways, it got me to thinking about the future of Star Wars again. Once the ROTS hype is dying down, and considering what is left to make (or to re-do, since technologies have advanced since the POTF2 days), how big would you like to see the line be in 2006 and beyond? How many figures would you like to see released each year, and maybe, in what fashion do you think they should be done? Would you like to see some of the POTF2 sculpts updated? How many ships would you like to see (realistically)? Just curious as to some of your opinions on the future of Star Wars.

Once the ROTS hype is dying down, and considering what is left to make (or to re-do, since technologies have advanced since the POTF2 days), how big would you like to see the line be in 2006 and beyond?

i wouldn't mind if they kept it at the same rate it's been recently. maybe release a new case assortment every other month or so, and make about 50-60 new figures each year. empahsis on new, meaning new figures, not old figures on new cards.

How many figures would you like to see released each year, and maybe, in what fashion do you think they should be done?

not sure exactly what you mean by this, but i'll take a guess... like i said above, 50-60 new figures each year would be great, at least imo. i'd like a few deluxe figures now and then, especially if they can keep cranking out new ones like the better of the last few.

Would you like to see some of the POTF2 sculpts updated? How many ships would you like to see (realistically)?

i would love to see just about every figure that hasn't already been resculpted get the resculpt treatment, as long as they end up better then the originals. i don't think there are really that many, as we've been getting resculpts quite often out of hasbro. and i'd love to see some ships that are a little more to scale, even if they have to be a little pricier.

On the heels of the "OTC success" discussion, do any of you have any new or changed feelings on where the line is headed in the future? With the recent list popping up for 2005, looks like we'll be getting a plethora of ROTS figs this year, and it is still up in the air if we will see anything else. I imagine that ROTS focus will trickle into 2006 as well, but we'll start to see a little more from the rest of the Saga. After that, where do you see things headed? Will the relative "success" of the OTC re-pack-o-rama influence similar trends in the future? Will we see a cutback in figures to 20-30 a year (instead of 50-60), or will they go towards more of a specialty market? I could see a line like "Unleashed" and the Gentle Giant stuff continuing, since it was pretty much collector-driven in the first place, but its hard to judge where the basic figure line will head. I would think they would sell well enough to stay in the stores, but without movies in sight that might change things a little bit. They will most definitely be relying on us, the collectors, to fuel the line more than ever I would think. I hope things continue on, even if it is in a more limited capacity, but if there wasn't quite as much product as there has been the past couple years, I guess that would be ok with me. Freeing up/saving a little bit of money wouldn't be all bad. Of course, I don't have to buy it, and I do only buy what I want, but it does still seem to add up . Any thoughts or insight on where things are headed?

I still believe the success of the ROTS line will determine the long-term health of the Star Wars action figure-based toyline. With the success of the OTC line, we didn't see the glut of product we are likely to see with the ROTS line. It's this glut of product that will make the decision for retailers on how much farther they are looking to support the toy line. By year's end we are expecting 56 action figures (60 when counting in the preview wave) from ROTS, alongside X amount of vehicles, beasts, and other ROTS-associate toy products. Like in 99 and 02, that's going to be a lot of product for one movie, and eventually average consumers (i.e. non-collectors) are going to get burnt out.

If retail support dwindles, Hasbro is likely to cut the number of new toys per year to perhaps 1/3 of what will be released for ROTS (i.e. half of what is normally released in a non-movie year). That would leave us with one of two possibilities, a.) a repeat of OTC where a good number of the overall product released in a given year is re-releases from previous years or b.) an overall diminished about of toys produced and brought to the market. If a.) happens we could see a successful repeat of OTC or we could see the collectors who would be supporting the line get more and more fed up. If b.) happens, we would see a larger span of time between the release of new items, instead of new items coming out once a month, it could be along the lines of new items out once every 3 months.

However, if ROTS is a huge success and stores don't clearance out items in mid to late summer and come X-Mas 05, we're hard pressed to find items from the initial movie release, I could see Hasbro attempt to duplicate their initial plans for 2004, i.e. theme-based monthly waves with a total new figure output approximately equalling 50 figures. The question then is what they decide to produce for 2006 and beyond, how much of that will be based on what the collectors want and how much based on what they believe kids want. But in the end only time will tell.....

After seeing a bit of what the ROTS line has to offer, and possibly seeing a glimpse of the future with the Early Bird figures coming up....where do you see things headed in 2006 and beyond now? I'm not sure if the EB figures are really this one time deal, or if it is the beginning of a "new" line as some rumors have indicated. Although I know some people really dislike resculpts, particular "main" characters, but a part of me wouldn't mind seeing them manage the line similar to the vintage days. Starting with this Early Bird set, and then releasing the regular figures somewhat in the same order as they came out in vintage days. Of course, "ultimate", VOTC-style prequel figures could be merged into the line too, as well as a few background characters that fans are still wanting. I personally would be ok if the total figures released in a year went down just a little bit, and we just slowly got really nice versions of all of the main characters, as well as resculpts (when necessary) of other characters represented in the vintage line (and a few that should have been....Tarkin, Slave Leia, etc.)

I would also be ok if they took figures (for example, VOTC Han Solo), and just re-released them throughout the line.....again, just like the vintage days. As long as they are of that type of quality (VOTC Chewie, Stormtrooper, Lando come to mind as well), I don't think people would mind them being used/reused throughout the line. This is really just a bunch of random thoughts that have come to mind lately while shopping for ROTS and seeing the details of this Early Bird set, and maybe it is just the nostalgia in me for the vintage line, but I wouldn't mind seeing things run somewhat like this (especially in the aspect of a little more limited releases throughout the year, and reusing top notch figure sculpts instead of resculpting figures in the same outfits numerous times). I'm sure other people have differing opinions on where they want things to head, what is your opinion? I guess the reason I wouldn't mind a slow down is I simply don't have a whole lot of room, and I could use to spend a little less money as well . What do you want to see in 2006 and beyond....have your feelings changed now?

Everybody get ready... brace yourself for the blasphemy I am about to unleash upon you...

Honestly, I could do without Original Trilogy stuff for a year.

Yep, I said it, and yep, I meant it.

I realize that the OT is what 99% of people out there like to see more often than the PT, and I realize that OT stuff probably sells a lot better than PT stuff. But, by that same token, all the OT stuff seems to be at this point is endless rehashes of the same characters over and over and after the VOTC, at least on 9 of those figures, there is nowhere left to go but down. I love the OT, I love it more than the PT, but if I see one more Tatooine Luke I'm going to vomit.

If they're really rebooting the line at the beginning of 2006 and starting over with the OT stuff again, then I'll be really disappointed. Even Episode I, with the ridiculous amount of pegwarmers got three months into 2000 before being cancelled, and even then we got TPM figures for a while until Saga/AOTC hit. If this year is all we get from ROTS (and this is an assumption, based on the idea that Hasbro will reboot in 2006), I'm going to be a sad panda.

If you ask me (you didn't), they should dedicate 2006 to the Prequel Trilogy the way that 2004 was dedicated to the OT. Do themed waves of 3 figures every month or so, or about 36-40 figures for the year. Do four waves for each film, do a deluxe figure or two for each film, release a couple of vehicles, and then in 2007 they can go back to the OT well for the last hurrah of the line. Some will argue (probably justifiably so) that a year devoted to nothing but prequel stuff will kill the line completely, but as it is, the endless resculpts of Luke in Tatooine with finger slightly curved and a weird hat are doing more to kill my interest in the line than anything else.

If all the figures were up to VOTC standards, I might stick around to pick those up. There's so much more to do from the prequels (like, Padme in various gowns) that I'd honestly like to see more than some redone OT stuff.

But for 2007, I want figures like Ackbar, Zuckuss, 4-LOM, Bib, and the like completely redone. Plus Han and Luke in Stormtrooper disguises. Then I'd probably be content with the line coming to an end.

I do not think that starting over at square one in 2006 is a good idea. If that's where the line goes, I'm out.

An interesting article up over at The Private Universe, relating to the future of the Star Wars line. All speculation at this point probably, but there is mention of an inside "source". Take it with a grain of salt, but this person really feels that we have 3 more movies coming our way. That rumor just doesn't seem to die, no matter how often Lucas has said "this is the end" and "this is it". I was actually starting to believe him that this would be the last of it, but it is always hard to know for sure I guess. You can read the article HERE

I dunno, to me you need to mix OT stuff in to keep things fresh... The prequals need figures too though, and I think leading into 2006 it should at least be a prequal focus, but OT stuff should be seeing a resurgence by then too... A figure here, a figure there.

I'm hoping the future means VOTC (or at least Cantina Wave) kinds of quality overall. The ROTS lineup has me hopeful that this kind of articulation is "standard" from here on out... That army builders get the focus they deserve...

And I have a resculpt list of POTF2 - E1 (at least) stuff I'd like to see done with this level of quality...

And that's just resculpts of stuff already done... There's a lotta vintage stuff I think still needs redone in the modern line, like the Rebel "Soldier" with the tan vest, Palace Klaatu, etc...

I am all for EU too though... Mixed in sporatically I think it has as much a chance at retail as any basic figure, so long as the Hasbro people keep their wits about them and don't jump into "Techno Yellow Luke!" or "Neon Camoflauge Han!" like the Batman line... Keep it to known EU, don't go overboard with entire waves of it... It could work. I think past EU's proven itself enough, even if the SOTE line tanked some (I blame the basis for it more than the line itself, but I digress).

Prequals have lots to cover though too, and Episode One and Two both have LOTS of figures I'd like resculpted... SA versions of Maul, Obi, and Qui-Gon from E1... Outland Peasant Anakin could use a redo, a GOOD E2 Obi-Wan (sad there isn't one really definitive one of him in the entire line), a good Mace Windu... There's lots of Prequal room left to explore. And I think re-releasing the SA Clone into the line FOREVER would work. Till the line dies, that figure should be mixed into cases every year.